Modeling Operations and Algorithms

Abstract

The idea of using manipulative materials to model operation and algorithms is not new. The Arithmetic Teacher frequently includes articles on the topic, and its readers should have accumulated a wealth of excellent teaching suggestions. Current methodology books and school texts place great emphasis on the use of manipulatives. Thus one might expect appropriate manipulative materials to be a mainstay of every mathematics classroom, but evidence suggests otherwise. Although teachers believe that manipulative materials should be used for mathematics instruction and that the usc of such materials does develop understanding, the use of manipulative materials diminishes through the grade (Suydam 1984a).